This week, we sit down with Michael Alter, principal owner of the Chicago Sky, to talk about what it really takes to build a professional sports franchise from the ground up, and why investing in women’s sports is about so much more than the game.

From launching the Sky as an expansion team to winning the 2021 WNBA Championship, Michael shares the highs, the challenges, and the moments that made it all worth it. We explore the league's evolution, the explosive growth of women’s basketball, and how the Sky became a cultural force in Chicago and beyond.

We also talk about the realities behind the scenes, from building a brand without an NBA counterpart to navigating media narratives to protecting players in the age of social media. And at the core of it all is a bigger mission: creating visibility, opportunity, and inspiration for the next generation of female athletes.

In this episode, we cover:

• The origin story of the Chicago Sky and why Chicago needed a WNBA team
• What it takes to build a franchise from scratch, including branding, hiring, and early challenges
• The 2021 championship run and why it meant more than just a title
• How the WNBA is evolving, from expansion teams to global growth
• The dark side of sports: social media, player safety, and online abuse
• Why women’s sports are finally getting the attention they’ve always deserved

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and comment; it helps us continue to bring you the voices behind the institutions, people, and places that make Chicago extraordinary.

Connect with the hosts of DIBS on Instagram, Nick Sarantos and Mallory Waxman

This week, we’ve got DIBS on Kathryn Erbe.

Kathryn Erbe is a celebrated stage and screen actor whose career spans Broadway, film, and some of television’s most iconic series. Many audiences know her as Detective Alexandra Eames on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, but her work reaches far beyond that role—from HBO’s groundbreaking drama Oz to beloved films like D2: The Mighty Ducks and What About Bob?

A longtime member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company ensemble, Kathryn returns to Chicago to star in The Dance of Death, a riveting and darkly funny psychological thriller adapted by Conor McPherson from August Strindberg’s classic play. Performing at the legendary Steppenwolf Theatre, the production blends biting humor, emotional intensity, and extraordinary physical performances.

In this episode, Kathryn shares:

1. How she landed on Broadway just six weeks after graduating from NYU Tisch
2. The surreal experience of joining Steppenwolf Theatre, a company she once read about as a teenager, dreaming of becoming an actor
3. Behind-the-scenes stories from Oz, one of HBO’s most groundbreaking early dramas
4. What it was really like filming Law & Order: Criminal Intent for ten seasons alongside Vincent D’Onofrio
5. Why theater and the shared experience of live performance feel more important than ever after the pandemic
6. The deeply personal story of how theater helped transform her life after a difficult adolescence

Kathryn also talks about the physical demands of performing The Dance of Death, even revealing she’s currently performing the show while recovering from a broken foot.

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and comment; it helps us continue to bring you the voices behind the institutions, people, and places that make Chicago extraordinary.

Connect with the hosts of DIBS on Instagram, Nick Sarantos and Mallory Waxman

We’re joined by Michael Hitchcock—Northwestern alum, Western Springs native, and a quietly legendary force behind some of the most influential comedies of the last 25+ years. From interning at WBEZ, CBS 2, WGN, and learning Chicago media from the inside, to finding his creative home at The Groundlings in Los Angeles, Michael’s career is a masterclass in craft, longevity, and being “in everything you love” (often before you even realize it).

We talk about Michael’s iconic run with Christopher Guest, including Waiting for Guffman, Best in Show, A Mighty Wind, and For Your Consideration, and how that ensemble, improv-driven style didn’t just shape comedy, it helped rewrite the rules of how comedy films get made. Michael shares what it was like returning to Best in Show 25 years later, why it still holds up, and what surprised him most about dog show culture.

Plus, Michael takes us inside two of the biggest streaming hits of the moment: Nobody Wants This and The Lowdown on FX/Hulu, a modern noir with sharp dialogue, an all-star cast, and an awards-season buzz that’s building fast. We also dig into his experience on Glee, from appearing on-screen to writing and producing across multiple seasons—what it’s like creating TV at peak cultural impact, and how music rights actually work when you’re pulling off ambitious episodes with major artists.

In this episode, we discuss:

1. Growing up in the western suburbs and falling in love with Second City and Chicago theater
2. The surprising connection between community theater and landing Waiting for Guffman
3. The Groundlings, character comedy, and the Chicago vs. LA comedy difference
4. The legacy of Best in Show and why it’s still a cult classic (and then some)
5. Behind the scenes of Nobody Wants This, The Lowdown, and Glee

Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and comment; it helps us continue to bring you the voices behind the institutions, people, and places that make Chicago extraordinary.

Connect with the hosts of DIBS on Instagram, Nick Sarantos and Mallory Waxman